


Isolation

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 21:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1663232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my AU where Katniss and Peeta died in the 75th Games and the Revolution didn't happen. Death does not take place in this story as it's the aftermath.   Haymitch came home and took responsibility for Prim and her mother.   This takes place a couple of months after the Everdeen women move in with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Isolation

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Haymitch was trying to adjust to the Everdeen women being in his house. He tried to keep out of their way. Unfortunately unless Calla was tending to the sick they forced him to eat breakfast and dinner with them. In two months he’d put on fifteen pounds. He complained to Calla last week and told her it had to stop because none of his clothes fit. He came back from The Hob and found folded on his bed several pairs of pants, shirts, sweaters and underwear with a note. I measured you last night when you were passed out. These should fit. If you want me to order clothes from the Capitol just tell me the names of the stores. He was going to tell her she had no right to invade his privacy like that. Instead he took a bath changed into black pants and a dark blue sweater and went downstairs for dinner.

It was an adjustment for all of them. Calla and Prim weren’t used to his mood swings yet. When the liquor made him angry they kept their physical distance but were more aggressive in getting him to eat. They didn’t know about spring yet. Even though they had lived next door to him in the Victor’s Village last year they didn’t know what happened when the trees began to bloom. That was when the depression hit. His brother’s birthday was in March. The days leading up to it he would try to drink himself into a coma. It never worked. Sometimes he’d pass out for a day or two but he always woke up bright and early on March 15th. He would spend the day crying for boy who never saw thirteen. The next five days leading up to his own birthday he would cry for his mother who never got to enjoy the rewards of his Victory. He would cry for the life he never had with Shanna, the children that were never born. He’d cry for Shanna’s little sisters. The one that died in the 55th Games, the one that died of pneumonia and the one that killed herself so she wouldn’t starve to death. He only spoke to them twice after Shanna’s death. The first time was at Shanna’s funeral when they told him to leave, that being there would just bring the family more trouble. The second time was when he brought Lilac’s body home from the arena. 

Today was a relatively good day. Ripper had plenty of liquor in stock and the Peacekeepers hadn’t raided The Hob in weeks. Calla left a note saying that she was at Rose Hopkins house. The new baby had been throwing up and had a high fever. She didn’t know if she’d be back before curfew. She’d stay overnight with the Hopkins.

The note didn’t mention Prim so Calla must have left while she was still in school. His first thought was he could have a nice peaceful night of getting drunk. He was heading upstairs with every intention to drink when he found himself standing outside Prim’s room. He was just going to tell her to eat dinner without him and if her friend Daisy came by to study she had to leave an hour before curfew. He also found himself wondering if she passed her math test. He really needed to drink more. He was about to knock when he heard her crying.

It was very soft, muffled into a pillow. She didn’t want anyone to hear her. The girl was entitled to her privacy but….she was also only thirteen. Thirteen….there was that number again. He knocked twice and opened the door.

She sat up in her bed surprised. Haymitch in general avoided her and never let himself into her room

He pretended not to notice the tears. “Your mother left a note saying she probably wouldn’t be back tonight and…..I’m hungry.

Prim wiped away her tears. “Do you want me to make you some soup?

“Yeah. Your mother made some bread this morning. Do you have any cheese left? I know you went trading this morning.

Prim shrugged. ‘Only with the baker. You told me not to go to The Hob myself and I haven’t.

“That’s good. I’ll take you tomorrow if you want.

Prim nodded and started to head downstairs. He followed her and as she was warming the soup he asked.

‘Bad day? Did something in particular remind you of your sister?

Prim shook her head. “No. It’s…….the Peacekeepers came to school today and checked lunches.

“Checked lunches?

“To see if anyone had……contraband food. One of the older boys Fred Wilson, he’s sixteen was caught with a turkey sandwich. They took him out to the school yard and beat him. They brought all of us out to watch.

Haymitch took a sip from his bottle. “Did they use the whip or just a strap?

“A strap but they gave him fifty licks. He could barely walk.

“He’s lucky. At sixteen they could have used the whip.

Prim shuddered. ‘Haymitch, I had a turkey sandwich too. 

“Did they hit you? Put you in stocks?

“No. They didn’t say a word.

He nodded. “Not surprising, the butcher has been selling turkey this week so they presume I bought it.

“They gave Lana five licks for having berries. She’s only twelve years old.

“Did they make her undress or hit her hands? Haymitch asked.

“Her hands. How did you know?

“I’ve been around Unpeaceful Peacekeepers before. Prim they won’t target you unless you confess or have something there’s no way you could have legally like a bow and arrow.

Prim sniffled. ‘I went to Daisy’s house after school. We were talking about what happened. Her mother came home and got so mad. She started yelling at Daisy and told her not to bring me over to their house, if we wanted to see each other outside of school do it in the Victor’s Village. Daisy told her Mom that I had a quart of goat’s milk for them and her mother freaked out. She grabbed a hairbrush and put Daisy over her knee in front of me. She was yelling “Do you want to see your parents tied to the whipping post? That’s what will happen if we’re caught with that stuff here. Daisy was so embarrassed. I just said I had to go and ran out. Her mother didn’t stop spanking her though, I could hear it halfway down the block. 

“She’s scared Prim.

“Her parents never hit her before. It’s crazy, all because of these Peacekeepers. 

Haymitch shrugged. “Well, the year before I won we got some unpleasant Peacekeepers. My mother who was the kindest most patient person you could ever meet used a belt on me. I didn’t hunt like Katniss but I did kill rats by the shopkeeper’s garbage and pick some greens near the fence. One night I got home two minutes after curfew with dinner. No one saw me but she was sick with worry. She went and got my father’s belt. I was fifteen and as tall as I am now. If my mother was five feet that was a lot. The whole time she’s hitting me she’s crying about how the Peacekeepers could kill me, what kind of example is this for my brother. She’s sobbing about how selfish I am to put my whole family at risk for one meal. She was terrified and she was right to be. They did catch a boy that night coming out of the woods and they killed him.

Prim gasped.

Haymitch continued. ‘After I won and my family died….I still used to see my best friend from the Seam. He wouldn’t take money or food from me but one day we picked a bag of greens and were caught by the Peacekeepers. They marched both of us to the Town Square. They tied Merritt up and gave him twenty lashes with the whip. I couldn’t imagine what they’re going to do to me because I can buy anything I want, I have no excuse for poaching and……they made an announcement that Merritt was getting an additional twenty lashes for trying to force a Victor to commit a crime. I was the one holding the bag but.....none of that mattered. After that no one wanted to be near me. I can’t blame them. The Peacekeepers are trying to isolate you because of me.

“Haymitch…

“They do it to your mother too. Except when someone is sick most people don’t want to talk to her. It’s unfortunate but it keeps you safe.

“Haymitch, we don’t blame you. It’s just….I wish things were….I can’t believe I’m going to say this but….like they were before Katniss volunteered.

He patted her cheek. “I understand, believe me I do. I often wish that my name was never called, even though I’d be half dead of lung disease from working in the mines.


End file.
